


Holding On For Life

by twobirds



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 16:07:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6201946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twobirds/pseuds/twobirds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance meeting brings Carina Lombardo and Dominick Carisi together. They're from separate worlds; Carina is a physical therapist who walks the straight and easy, and Dominick is a detective with the Special Victim's Unit. He embodies the chaos Carina tries to stay away from, but she knows there is something special about Dominick from the moment she sees him. Between late nights and early mornings, nothing seems to matter but their budding relationship. They fit in all the ways that matter. But when Dominick's crazy work schedule threatens the life they've built together, will Carina be able to step outside of her carefully constructed lines? Can Dominick give up the control he craves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding On For Life

Carina Lombardo was seconds away from collapsing from exhaustion when she dragged herself into the late night coffee shop in Harlem. The subway ride back to Sunnyside loomed above her, and she knew she’d never stay awake unless she had an emergency shot of espresso. Or three. Her Thursday started early and it was already past ten. By the time she got back to her apartment and got around for bed it would be at least midnight, and her six am alarm would be like a foghorn.

 Carina would have been home at a reasonable seven o’clock, but her younger brother Marco texted her before her shift was over asking to meet up for dinner and Carina couldn’t say no to the baby of the family. Besides, Marco wanted to celebrate passing his bar exam before they made the grueling trip to Plainfield, New Jersey for the official celebration with their family that weekend.

Marco’s favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant was in his Bronx neighborhood, so when Carina finished up with her last patient at Hamilton Rehabilitation she hopped on the subway and ventured from the Upper West Side to Marco’s shoebox apartment. Marco was only four years younger than her, but Carina couldn’t keep up with him. The big three-oh hit her hard; it was probably all mental, but she found herself tipsy after two beers and the greasy burger she scarfed down did more in giving her a stomach ache than sobering her up.

She felt perfectly fine – other than being ready to curl up in bed – as she walked into the coffee shop. The two block walk to the coffee shop seemed to get the rest of the booze out of her system, and she was left tired and a little grumpy.

The coffee shop was close to Columbia and even though the semester was over the student favorite spot was still busy, even as late as it was. _People are probably fueling up before they go out for the night._ She decided, as she stepped in line, that it was still a little early for the clubbers and bar hoppers to head out. Carina distracted herself with her phone until she got up to the counter. She knew it probably a bad idea to have a hefty dose of caffeine so late at night, but she ordered a single shot latte and splurged on a raspberry-coconut flavor mix.

Despite her initial plan to get the latte and head to the subway, Carina found herself drawn to the internet bar pushed along the back wall. There were only a few empty seats so she tried to pick the least obtrusive one and opened up the laptop bag she shamelessly used as both a briefcase and a purse. She had a few treatment plans to go over for her shift the next morning, and she knew if she went home she’d go straight to bed.

One of her patients, a golfer with a persistent lower back injury, wasn’t making any progress and she needed to work up a new exercise program for him. As a physical therapist at a rehabilitation clinic in the Upper West Side, she saw a lot of cases like that. Of course, there were plenty of patients she saw with serious injuries – not that a lower back injury wasn’t serious. Carina had been with Hamilton Rehabilitation for four years, and the rich professionals with minor injuries were far and often.

“Rough day?”

The Staten Island staccato was strong, even in those two words. Carina looked up with every intention of brushing him off; overly-friendly creeps were a dime a dozen in the city. The man giving her a half-smile wasn’t what she expected. His stunning eyes were a blend of greys, greens, and blues. They wrinkled around the corners, making the color stand out even more against his sun warmed skin – a shade not much different than her own. His dusty blonde hair was casually styled. He had a strong profile with a large, defined nose that fit perfectly on his face. His lips were shapely and, Carina thought while she managed not to blush, utterly kissable. A day’s worth of stubble peppered his face, painting over the lines around his cheeks. A quick assessing look revealed a denim button down shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbow, and dark chinos.

He leaned an arm against the back bar of his stool and tilted his head, waiting for an answer. “Are you a mute or something?”

Carina scowled. “Excuse me for not jumping at the opportunity to talk to a stranger when he interrupts my work.”

“Thought you might need an ear.”

“Usually when people feel chatty they go to a bar, not a coffee shop.”

He looked around, eyebrows lifted. “Shit. Guess I went to the wrong place. Hey, got any good bar recommendations? You know, in case I feel extra chatty after this.”

For some reason unknown to her, Carina smiled. It was definitely exhaustion, she told herself. “This isn’t my neighborhood. Can’t say I’d be any help.”

“Visiting a boyfriend?”

“Nosy,” She snorted. Still, she explained, “Brother. He passed the bar exam.”

“Oh yeah? Columbia grad?” The handsome stranger nodded to his open laptop. “I’m taking night classes there for law. Got a while left; can’t take too many classes with my day job.”

Ever the bragging older sister, Carina smiled. “Yeah. He’s a proud lion – never shuts up about it. Marco thinks he’s hot shit because he got accepted to an Ivy League school when my siblings and I all went to state schools.”

“Youngest?” The stranger asked. When Carina confirmed with a nod, he laughed. She tried not to get starry-eyed over the ocean in his eyes. “Yeah, sounds about right. Name’s Dominick Carisi, but you can call me Sonny.”

“I like Dominick. Sonny makes you sound like some seventies R&B singer with a bad moustache.”

“I’m Dominick Carisi _Jr._ so Sonny stuck when I was a kid.”

“Well, _Dominick,”_ Carina stressed, extending her hand. Yeah, she was definitely suffering from a lack of sleep and was probably still a little tipsy. Except she felt like she’d just thrown back four shots of espresso and had never felt more sober in her life. “It’s nice to meet you. Carina Lombardo.”

“Always an Italian girl,” He murmured to himself.

“Hey!” Carina raised her hands in mock offense. “What’s that supposed to mean? Wait – I don’t want to know. Really.”

Dominick shrugged and closed his laptop after quickly saving whatever he was working on. “Your loss, Carina. I’m a real nice guy. Who knows what I was going to say.”

“Oh, I think I know. I’ve heard it plenty of times. Only my dad is Italian and my grandma died before I was born, so take it easy on me. I’m like a fake Italian, really.” Carina pushed her treatment plan into her folder and put it back in her makeshift briefcase. She was all too aware of Dominick’s lingering gaze on her. “So you’re here studying? I thought classes were over.”

“Summer courses. I can only fit so many credits into a semester so if I can work in the summer, I work in the summer.”

“What’s your undergrad in? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Sociology. Not the most traditional pre-law track, but I went straight to police academy from graduation. This whole law school thing is a new development.”

Carina didn’t bother masking her surprise. “You’re a police officer?”

“Detective.” He was proud of himself. That much was evident from the tone of his voice. Dominick drank the black liquid in his nondescript paper cup. “What about you?”

“Nothing so exciting. I’m a physical therapist. Boring.”

“I didn’t say that. Sorting mail is boring.”

“Oh, shit. I sort mail in my spare time.”

Dominick gave a deep laugh. It was the kind that made Carina’s insides tickle and burn. “Caught you red handed. I thought I was kind of pathetic, but man – ” he whistled “ – you are something else, Carina. Tell me, how fast can you solve a Sudoku puzzle?”

“Asshole.” She shoved him playfully, rolling her eyes. “I’m really bad at Sudoku, for your information. And I’m not pathetic!”

“I dunno, a kind-of Italian girl who sorts mail for fun and is slow on the upkeep with Sudoku?” He teased. “I bet you got decaf in there.”

“Death before decaf,” Carina said, making the sign of the cross over her chest.

“My kind of girl.” His declaration was made in jest but it made Carina’s heartbeat speed up. If her new detective friend noticed, he didn’t mention it. “What other wild tricks do you have up your sleeve?”

Dominick’s eyes dipped down her body for a flash. It was long enough for her to notice – long enough for her body to react in ways it probably shouldn’t have. Carina knew she wasn’t terrible looking. Her thick onyx hair hailed from her father’s side, and it fell just past her shoulders. She struggled to keep it shiny, and was thankful that her hair product kept the luster all day long. Her eyes were just as dark; big and round with thick eyelashes, they were her favorite feature. Both she and her sister shared their mother’s heart shaped face and wide lips, and thankfully, they inherited her slender nose as opposed to their dad’s beak like crook. At thirty, she had long come to terms with her looks and her confidence. The laugh lines that highlighted her cheekbones and the barely there wrinkle around her left eye didn’t bother her the way they probably should have.

She crossed her legs, high-fiving her lazy ass for hitting snooze one too many times to wear a skirt. Her skinny fit black work pants and silk polka dot shirt were a little more business casual than she normally preferred. Dominick didn’t seem to mind at all, though, and his appreciate gaze caused goosebumps to prickle her exposed arms.

“Well, for one, I can quote almost any Steven Spielberg movie verbatim.”

“What’s one third of sixty?” Dominick questioned, pulling a line from a blockbuster movie.

Carina smiled. “That’s a fraction. I don’t understand them.”

“Not too bad. Okay, party girl, what else?”

“I’m a vicious UNO player, and I kick ass at Battleship. My family thinks I’m a cheat, but I just have the gift. And I was the chairwoman for my university’s Student Society of Physical Therapy.”

“I bet you threw some wild ones,” Dominick chuckled. “Rolling Rock, board games, and studying for a big exam.”

“Rolling Rock is a pathetic excuse for beer. C’mon, you think I’m _that_ lame?”

“Nah. I’m just trying to convince myself it’s a bad idea to ask a nice girl like you out for drinks.”

Surprise shook the teasing smile from her face momentarily, but she regained her composure before it looked like she was deflecting. It had been a few months since Carina had gone out on a date. One of her friends, Alexa, set her up with a key grip at the television station she worked at. He was a few years younger and shared an apartment with three other guys. They had crazy chemistry, but everything outside of the bedroom – her bedroom, since he occupied the bottom bunk in his shared room – fell flat. Carina wasn’t a stranger; she knew the handsome detective was flirting with her. She just didn’t realize they were _there_ yet. And she didn’t realize just how exciting the prospect of going out with him was.

“Look, I didn’t mean to put you in a weird spot.”

“No,” She flushed. He was a detective. Of course he’d pick up on her hesitation. “I just start my day early, and I’m already out too late.”

“Whoa. You’re jumping the gun. I was thinking this weekend.”

“Marco and I are driving over the bridge to our parent’s house this weekend. Mom wants to celebrate. We’ll be there all day.” She smiled sheepishly. “She’s not Italian but she might as well be.”

He chortled. “I know all about it.”

“My schedule is pretty static; I work until 6 throughout the week, and I have weekends off. Here,” She paused to scribble her phone number down on a piece of paper torn from the backside of her treatment packet. “Just text me. My friends like to grab dinner once or twice a week, but like I said, I’m usually free.”

“I can’t promise anything fancy.”

Carina cocked a brow. “Who said anything about fancy?”

“I know what women expect. I can’t promise that. I work all day, and I’m on call when I’m not at the station. I have classes two nights a week.”

“Need I remind you that you’re the one who asked me out?”

He leaned on the counter and ground his teeth. “I’m not what you’re used to, and I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

“Okay, Hot Shot, you don’t know what I’m used to. Something made me say yes, and it wasn’t the promise of a fancy ass dinner on Broadway. I don’t want you to pretend to be anyone but you.” She watched for any shift in his emotions, but he was bottled up tight. “That got way too serious. Can we just agree that we won’t do anything that we don’t both like?”

“You might regret that when we’re watching the Islanders with a bunch of sweaty guys covered in hot sauce.”

“It sounds like you’re talking from personal experience.”

“Maybe.”

“I’ve frequented many a sports bars in my day. Marco and I actually went to Mister Varsity’s tonight.” A gaggle of half-dressed girls heading for the club burst through the door and Carina looked at her phone. A swear toppled out of her mouth when she saw the time. “I need to head home before I look like an extra for The Walking Dead tomorrow.”

“Let me walk you to the subway.”

Carina swirled the last drop of her lukewarm latte in her cup. “Show me your badge first.”

“Shouldn’t you buy me dinner first?” Dominick looked pleased with himself, his eyes lighting up with amusement. He lazily scrubbed a hand down his face, drawing her eyes to his muscular forearm.

“Oh, ha ha. You’re some kind of wise guy, yeah?” It was a Herculean effort to not stick her tongue out at him. At least her mind was off his arms. “I’ve lived in New York long enough to spot a fake. Let me see it.”

“That’s some kind of proposition,” He mumbled, flashing his badge _and_ his license. “You know, you could get yourself in some trouble asking random strangers to ‘see it’.”

“You’re not a random stranger. Not anymore. I know your precinct and your address.” She pushed her papers in her bag and looked at him with more trust than she probably should have given him. “And if you _are_ a piece of Staten Island trash, I’ll kick your ass.”

That got a laugh out of him. He looked up from his messenger bag. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously. My older brother, Lucca, taught me how to fight. I also have pepper spray, so you know, when all else fails.”

“Good to know.”

They walked out of the coffee shop and onto the bustling street. It was near midnight, but there were still plenty of bodies cluttering the walkways. Carina and Dominick fell in line seamlessly. They bumped side by side and navigated to the nearest subway. Though they just met, Carina had the weirdest urge to reach out and grab his hand. She never was into public affection, nor did she make a habit of tripping over her tongue around handsome strangers.

“So you didn’t go to school here in the city?”

“I went to West Virginia State University. Lucca and my sister, Gia, went to Rutgers. Marco went to Columbia, obviously. My mom was really dramatic when I decided to go out of state, but the thought of having her pop up out of nowhere freaked me out. She did it to Lucca once, swear to God. Luc won’t let her live it down and it’s been a decade.”

“Didn’t want mommy to see your wild UNO parties and the Rolling Rock cans?”

“Oh, hush. I just wanted something different. WVSU offered me the most in scholarships, and it was far enough away that my mom couldn’t make it to me without making a trip of it.” Carina paused before frowning at the pavement. “That makes me sound like a shitty daughter. I love my mom, she’s just… overbearing sometimes. Last week I mentioned my wifi being spotty and threatened to call my cable provider and my landlord.”

They swapped stories about their crazy families. Dominick was in the middle of recounting a time when his mother offered a random electrician leftovers and wine when he was trying to wire their basement renovation when they came to a stop at the entrance of the terminal. Carina had a burst of energy, and she chalked the warmth spreading through her body up to the coffee she finished moments before. Definitely a delayed reaction.

“Keep your pepper spray handy. It’s late; there are creeps on the subway.”

Carina saluted. “Yes, sir.”

“Seriously. It’s later than you’re normally out, and you’re tired.”

“I know, Dad,” She huffed, rolling her eyes.

Dominick rocked on his feet, his frown mimicking the one forming on Carina’s face. She was too tired to fight with him, and more than anything she didn’t want to fight with him. She liked Dominick, and they had a great time together. The last thing she wanted to do was taint her memory of the night with a bitch session.

Instead of saying whatever it is he wanted to, though, he shoved his hands in his jeans. “I’ll let you know about next week. Unless something comes up, Tuesday will work great for me.”

“Just text me. I know you have a crazy schedule.”

Dominick’s jaw snapped shut. The cords in his neck were visible. “Yeah. That seems to be the way things go these days. Look, you better go before you miss the next tube.”

“Yeah, sure. See you around, Dominick.”

“Next week,” He corrected.

She repeated his words with a smile and mustered a goodnight before walking down the cement stairs. They felt more like clouds to her. She was giddy and though her eyes were fighting to stay open, she’d never felt more awake than when she looked over her shoulder and saw Dominick still watching her.


End file.
